Port
Wrangell, Alaska, US
Activity Level
Easy Activity
Excursion Type
All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At (prices in USD)
$310
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 3½ Hours
Meals Included
Meals not included
Located in the Stikine River Le Conte Wilderness area, Shakes Glacier is a wide field of ice approachable by jet boat. At the head of Shakes Lake, this majestic ice expanse is nestled within the breathtaking wilderness of the Inside Passage, where towering blue ice walls and calving icebergs create a spectacular display of glacial beauty.
Aboard a 29-foot state-of-the-art, covered and heated, shallow-draft aluminum twin-engine jet boat, you will cross the mouth of the Stikine River. You'll discover that this delta is an ever-changing maze of sandbars. Seals, eagles, and gulls prey on the salmon navigating these shallow, silted waters. Your skilled skipper is a wildlife biologist with extensive marine and fisheries experience. The first mate is a retired US Fish & Wildlife manager or a biologist.
Your destination is the Shear Pin Alley of Shakes Slough, which leads to Shakes Lake. The boat crosses a shallow riffle and takes a hairpin curve before entering the lake, which is covered with icebergs grounded at the outfall. Shakes Glacier is your destination, about six miles across the deep lake. Approaching the glacier, you'll learn about the geology of Southeast Alaska and have plenty of photo opportunities.
Please note: The boat features bus-style seating with great viewing opportunities for all. There are no restrooms on the boat. Not advisable for guests requiring frequent access to restroom facilities. There is an extremely basic wilderness restroom stop reached by climbing a very steep and narrow ramp and walking along a wilderness path; please take this into consideration when booking the tour. Participants are not allowed to walk on the glacier. A maximum of 12 total people are allowed on shore at any one time. This is a freshwater environment with a healthy mosquito population; bring insect repellent. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed.